Portuguese Egg Tarts

Portuguese-style egg tarts evolved from "pastel de nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry. It was created more than 200 years ago by Catholic Sisters at Jerónimos Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) in Lisbon. Casa Pastéis de Belém was the first pastry shop outside of the convent to sell this pastry in 1837, and it is now a popular pastry on every pastry shops around the world. Basically, Portuguese egg tarts differ from the regular egg tarts in that they are less regularly shaped, with a burned and wrinkled top.


Ingredients
165g caster sugar
70ml water
2 tbsp cornflour
1.5 tbsp custard powder
500ml milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
ready rolled puff pastry sheets

Method:

Filling:
1. Dissolve sugar in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine cornflour, custard powder, milk and yolks. Mix till smooth.
3. Add (2) to (1) and cook 3-4 minutes until mixture thickens.
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Cover with wrap and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Assemble:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with the puff pastry.
3. Fill in egg mixture to about 90% full.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes till filling is lightly browned on top.

One Bowl Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups nuts (toasted and roughly chopped)
1 can (396 grams) sweetened condensed milk
452 grams dark chocolate
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
1. Melt chocolate in a big bowl
2. Add butter and condensed milk to melted chocolate and stir until smooth
3. Stir in the vanilla and chopped nuts.
4. Spread the fudge into a pan (line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil).
5. Let stand at room temperature or in the refrigerator until cool. Then lift the fudge from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil. Cut the fudge into the desired sized pieces.

**Can store in the refrigerator for several days or freeze, well wrapped, for several months. Let thaw at room temperature, unwrapped, for a few hours.

Macadamia Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:
125g butter, melted
milk and dark chocolate (90g each), melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain flour
100g macadamia

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Combine butter and chocolate
3. Stir in sugar, honey and egg
4. Stir in flour and nuts
5. Pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes
6. Put into freezer immediately

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
4 (8 oz each) cream cheese
5 tbsp fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
110 g dark chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 packet oreos
butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150°C
2. Crush oreos finely and mix with melted butter and cinnamon.
3. Press firmly onto pan to form crust and bake for 5 mins
4. Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat till smooth
6. Melt chocolate
7. Mix half of (5) with melted chocolate
8. Pour over crust and bake for 30 mins
9. Meanwhile, mix orange juice and orange peel to the remaining batter
10. Reduce oven temperature to 140°C and spoon (9) over baked chocolate layer in pan
11. Bake an additional 30 min
12. Run small knife around rim of pan to loosen cake and refrigerate overnight.

** temperature suitable for fan assisted oven. If using normal oven, add 20°C to temperature.

Quick n Easy Salad

A quick and easy salad for a light lunch...

Ingredients:
mixed salas greens
hard boiled eggs
ham
thousand island dressing
japanese rice seasoning

Method:
1. peel and cut eggs into quarters
2. chop ham into small cubes
3. toss salad greens, eggs and ham together
4. lightly drizzle with dressing, sprinkle some japanese rice seasoning and serve.

Apple and Cinammon Muffin

Crunchy top, soft insides...delicious!


Ingredients:
1 packet Apple and Cinammon Muffin Mix
1 large egg
brown sugar

Method:
1. Make muffin according to instructions on packet
2. Sprinkle some brown sugar on top when muffin is almost done to add some crunch to the muffin
3. Best served warm